Brian O'Neill

Brian I, High King of Ireland (1220-), born Brian O'Neill (Brian Ua Néill in Irish), was the High King of Ireland from 1259 until his death. King Brian was the leader of the Irish Rebellion of 1259 against the Kingdom of England, and secured the Emerald Isle for the Irishmen after a long struggle.

Biography
Brian O'Neill was of the O'Neill Clan of County Donegal. Born in Lifford, Brian O'Neill was a powerful leader who sought not only to advance his clan, but also the Irish cause. He fought against the English as a young man and commanded armies for his family until he became High King in 1258.

King Brian's first steps in the rebellion were to liberate the Province of Ulster by capturing Derry from the English in the north, while his isolated nobles in the south took over territory from the Anglo-Irish but failed to capture Dublin, as it instead rebelled against the English before they arrived. King Brian's worst defeat was the Battle of Druim Dearg in 1261, where his army of 2,700 troops was bested by a larger English army under Captain William of Meath, with only 460 troops escaping the English in what was seen as the nadir of the Irish Rebellion. During that time, the city of Derry was also retaken by the English in the absence of King Brian's army, and the Irish forces were forced to retreat to a fort in the Ulster area.

King Brian recuperated and built up his forces with both Gaelic mercenaries and some volunteers from the north, and prepared to retake Derry, which was held by a large army.